Lamp unit and vehicle door equipped with lamp unit

Abstract

To provide a lamp unit in which rattling of a light-emitting element is prevented, a lamp unit (4) includes: a holder member (9) attached to an attachment object (3), a base board (6) provided with a light-emitting element (5) coupled on a main surface thereof; a retaining member (8) that engages the holder member to sandwich the base board between the retaining member and the holder member such that the base board is retained at a prescribed position on the holder member; and a cover member (9) that is at least partially light-transmissive and is attached to the holder member such that the cover member cooperates with the holder member to define a housing chamber (90) for housing the base board and the retaining member.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A lamp unit, comprising:
 a holder member configured to be attached to an attachment object; 
 a base board provided with a light-emitting element on a main surface thereof; 
 a retaining member that engages the holder member to sandwich the base board between the retaining member and the holder member such that the base board is retained at a prescribed position on the holder member; and 
 a cover member that is at least partially light-transmissive and is attached to the holder member such that the cover member cooperates with the holder member to define a housing chamber for housing the base board and the retaining member, 
 wherein the holder member has a housing recess for housing the base board and the retaining member, 
 an inner surface of the holder member is provided with at least one engagement portion for locking the retaining member, 
 the retaining member has a plate-like shape and is provided with an outer frame formed along an edge portion of the base board and a light passing hole that extends through the retaining member at a position corresponding to the light-emitting element inside the outer frame, and 
 the retaining member is provided with first projections respectively projecting from at least two portions of an outer peripheral surface of the outer frame that face away from each other such that each first projection projects toward a wall surface defining the housing recess. 
 
     
     
       2. The lamp unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer frame has a substantially rectangular shape, and
 the first projections are provided on mutually opposing sides of the outer peripheral surface of the outer frame. 
 
     
     
       3. The lamp unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is provided with at least one pair of second projections that project from the outer frame toward the base board and abut against corresponding end surfaces of the base board to sandwich the base board therebetween. 
     
     
       4. The lamp unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one pair of second projections includes multiple pairs of second projections arranged along a long-side direction of the outer frame. 
     
     
       5. The lamp unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement portion includes multiple engagement portions arranged along a short-side direction of the outer frame so as to each engage the outer frame. 
     
     
       6. The lamp unit according to  claim 1 , wherein a bottom wall of the housing recess is formed with multiple ribs that protrude toward an opening of the housing recess so as to abut against the base board. 
     
     
       7. The lamp unit according to  claim 6 , wherein the holder member is provided with a connector insertion recess that extends from an outer surface to pass between the bottom wall of the housing recess and an outer surface of the holder member and reaches the housing recess, and
 the ribs are arranged around the connector insertion recess. 
 
     
     
       8. The lamp unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the ribs are arranged to oppose one another so as to sandwich the connector insertion recess. 
     
     
       9. The lamp unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the lamp unit is a courtesy lamp configured to be mounted to a vehicle door. 
     
     
       10. A vehicle door equipped with the lamp unit according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
       11. A lamp unit, comprising:
 a holder member configured to be attached to an attachment object; 
 a base board provided with a light-emitting element on a main surface thereof; 
 a retaining member that engages the holder member to sandwich the base board between the retaining member and the holder member such that the base board is retained at a prescribed position on the holder member; and 
 a cover member that is at least partially light-transmissive and is attached to the holder member such that the cover member cooperates with the holder member to define a housing chamber for housing the base board and the retaining member, 
 wherein the holder member has a housing recess for housing the base board and the retaining member, 
 a wall defining the housing recess is provided with an engagement portion for locking the retaining member, 
 the base board is provided with a cutout, 
 the housing recess is defined by a bottom wall and a sidewall provided along an outer edge of the bottom wall, 
 the engagement portion is provided on the sidewall, 
 the cutout is provided in an outer peripheral edge of the base board, 
 the base board is disposed between the bottom wall and the retaining member, 
 the engagement portion protrudes from the sidewall to be in contact with a front surface of the retaining member. 
 
     
     
       12. The lamp unit according to  claim 11 , wherein the cutout is provided at a position corresponding to the engagement portion. 
     
     
       13. The lamp unit according to  claim 11 , wherein the base board has a substantially rectangular shape, and
 the cutout is provided in an approximately central part of one side of the outer peripheral edge of the base board. 
 
     
     
       14. The lamp unit according to  claim 11 , wherein the retaining member includes a substantially rectangular outer frame forming an outer edge, and
 the cutout is provided between the outer frame and the bottom wall. 
 
     
     
       15. The lamp unit according to  claim 11 , wherein multiple metallic connection terminals are attached to the base board, and
 the connection terminals are arranged to avoid the cutout. 
 
     
     
       16. The lamp unit according to  claim 11 , wherein the base board is formed with multiple connection holes at positions different to a position of the cutout, each connection hole being a substantially circular through-hole. 
     
     
       17. The lamp unit according to  claim 11 , wherein the lamp unit is a courtesy lamp configured to be mounted to a vehicle door. 
     
     
       18. A vehicle door equipped with the lamp unit according to  claim 17 .